The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1887-08-18
Tor many years will state in sub
MAI. J. B. srACY's STATEMENT.

w
, mately acquainted with Thomas Mar
TN III the last twenty years OF his lii,
and possessed his confidence TO som
extent. Was frequently with him dur
ing the latter part OF his life, and n
his suggestion short time before hi
death made some alterations,in his las
viii and testament, the original O
which had been drawn by Judge Thos
Nj. Jones. My recollection IS ther,
was no change in the items in sal,
VIII relative to the bequest made b.
hlm for the purpose OF establishing ,
teniaie school in the town OF Pulaski
but my recollection is that but "A few
lays before his death he called J. Il
Childers, Ii. w. Mason, (now dead) ant
myself III his room ana discussed this
particular matter with US aud seemed
anxious to impress upon our mind,
that this school should not be secta riau
In its tendency, but was to be for the
benefit OF tho children of the commu-
nifty in which he had spent the better
| part of his Lille.
Mr.. Newton White, one of his
intimate friends in social and bust
ness relations will state:
MR., NEWTON WHITES STATEMENT.
! had several conversations with Mr..
Thomas Martin, duricg the last years O:
| his life, in reference TO the establish
\ ment of female school in Pulaski
On every occasion he declared most
| emphatically that it was not his inten-
ton to make the school which he pro-
posed to endow delolainational or sec
| tartan. Eis object in placing the be-
quest in the control of the Methodist
Episcopal Church, South, located in
Pulaski was to place it in the care and
trust OF body qf men in whom he
could confide, and who would be sue
ceeded by Others whom he could trust.
On one occasion | told him he had done
well for the girls of the country, and
suggested l would be glad for him to
give an equal amount to Giles College
tor the education Of our boys. He re.
piled: would cheerfGily do so and |
am sure the Sid men comprisiSg the
!-1..iies College board Of .gUst, In whose
honesty ] have implicit confidence,
would carry out my wishes, but do
not know that their successors would
| do so, and fear that my aim in making
such bequest might ultimately be per-
verted. was so thoroughly impressed
with this determination TO establish a
non-denominational school, which as
surance was so strongly repeated by the
trustees OF Martin College, that | gave
some money to aid in paying for the
grounds and bulldogs. This | would
not have done but for this assurance OF
the testator and the trustees appointed
to manage and control the school.
Rev. Rob't Caldwell, a Presby-
terian clergyman who was trusted
and intimate friend will state.
REV RoB'T CALDW ELL WRITES:
LIVINGSTON, ALA, April, N.-Dr. c..
c.. A Abernathy-Dear Sir: Yours of the
18th inst. came to hand yesterday.
will attempt to comply with your re-
quest. For more than a quarter of a
century Mr.. Marlin and myself were
almost daily in familiar and intimate
intercourse. Occasionally during that
period we were In confidential relation
ship.
Mr.. Martin was pronounced Meth
odist in doctrine, but not so much in
his views OF ecclesiastical poicy. He
was a democrat in religion as well as
in politics. Hence he was opposed to
Capitalization of power, both in state
and church, Ne was averse to gov
ernment that dominated local institu-
tions. AS to UNCONVENTIONAL schools OF
learning, except theological ones, his
opposition was earnest-at least so far
as their being controlled by ministeri-
al bodies. Local church con troll he did
not object to. This subject was often
| a subject of conversation between us
particularly in relation to tho estab-
/ lishment OF female seminary in Pu
laski. He once proposed TO give $1,000
| for the erection of a commodious build
| ing for the education of young ladies'
to be supplemented by donations from
others, and to show his unsectarian,
catholic spirit suggested that if such
an editice should be erected and n
school put in operation the management
and control OF the same be placed in
the hands OF not 3 preabytary, synod or
genera. assembly, but of the session OF
the Presbyterian church at Pulaski,
Again during my principalshipo of the
Female Academy at Pulaski, severe. at
tempts were made to establish a dis
tinctly Methodist school at Pulaski, to
each of which efforts Mr. Martin put
himself in earnest opposition. Ills
children were continued under my tut
| ton. This leads me TO the con-
sideration OF the subject matter
of our communication. Mr..
Martin lad confidentially informed me
| OF his intention of bequeathing some
thing for the purpose of erecting and
endowing an institution of learning for
females at E,.laski, but not until visit
to him in his chamber of sickness he
fully revealed to me his full intention
and the amount he proposed TO be-
queath. He was then evidently dying
man, and proposed the question, "had
he nut his house in order?" His reply
! was that he had, and then without en-
tering into any minute detail of the
will he had made, he spoke plainly con-
| cerning his educational bequest. Ii |
understood him correctly the object of
his bequest was not of any denomina-
| tional interest, but for the public good.
| In other words while as Methodist
it becomes proper for him to show
| becoming respect for his church, by
making it the trustee, II | may use the
word, Of his endowment, and by his
| church | mean the representative Ofli-
GERS of the Methodist communion at
Pulaski, still it was clear to my mind he
had no design of having distinctively
| denominational phase prefixed to the
contemplated building and institution
of learning. My decided conviction is
that Mr.. Martin fully intendad that
| the Methodist church or communion
| located at Pulaski should be the
source Of control over such building
and school in entire distinction from
district or annual conference rule and
authority. have thus hastily written
| nay views OF the momentous question
| now at issue-views taken from my
knowledge of the conservative and
| catholic spirit of Mr.. Martin, as well as
| from his long line of antecedants, /
exceedingly regret the present agita-
ton .ot so delicate and momentous a
question. A contest at law may serious
| ly damage the interest of the institu-
ton, now so generally pstronized, and
one which by its success ig Iow doing
honor to the memory of Mr.. Martin.
Respectfully,
X. CALDWELL,
Mr.. j. B. Childere, for a long
number Of years his bosom friend
and associate in business and So
ciety and in the Methodist church,
| will state;
] MR. ]. B. CHILDERs SAYS:
| was to some extent intimately ac-
quainted with the late Thomas Martin,
and during his last illness had several